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ORONO – After four straight losses, and sporting a roster that doesn’t include two guards that were expected to star for his team, the last thing John Giannini needed heading into game 5 was more misfortune.
That’s exactly what he got.
His University of Maine men’s basketball team faced Troy State on Sunday afternoon just two days after three starters were injured in a Friday night automobile accident.
Two of them – defensive stopper Derrick Jackson and leading scorer Clayton Brown – did not play.
And despite a solid effort and a determined rally, the Bears’ woes continued: Troy State’s Robert Rushing hit a 15-footer with 5.6 seconds to go in overtime to give the Trojans a 73-71 win.
Troy State improves to 2-1 while the Black Bears drop to 0-5.
The win by Troy State overshadowed a fine performance from senior guard Errick Greene, who was also injured in the car crash while he, Brown and Jackson were heading to dinner after Friday’s practice.
Greene had an abrasion on his head and bruised legs, but scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and helped send the game to overtime by scoring five points in the final 12.7 seconds of regulation. He also hit a 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds to knot the score at 66-66.
“What a courageous performance by Errick Greene,” Giannini said. “Errick was just wonderful today. It’s a shame we had to waste, for our whole team, the effort that we put forth, but especially Errick’s heroics down the stretch.
Giannini said the accident, which happened when another vehicle pulled in front of Brown’s car, was severe enough to total the vehicle the Bears were riding in. It also gives the Bears a couple more question marks.
Brown sustained a fracture or chipped bone in his right (shooting) wrist, has stitches in his mouth and on his leg, and will be evaluated by a specialist, Giannini said. Brown’s facial injuries resulted when he struck the steering wheel with his mouth.
Jackson bruised his right shoulder, Giannini said, and can’t lift his arm above shoulder level.
Giannini didn’t know when either would return to the lineup.
Despite playing without the duo on Sunday, the Bears unleashed a late rally and battled the Trojans of Troy, Ala., down to the wire.
Troy State led 64-56 when the speedy Rushing (20 points, four assists) drove to the hoop and made a layup with 2:50 to play.
The Bears clawed back behind a short jumper from Rickey White (10 points, six rebounds), a 3-pointer from Todd Tibbetts, and Greene’s two final hoops.
Justin Rowe, a 7-foot junior center, finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and one blocked shot for the Bears. He also made all five free throw attempts after entering the game shooting an anemic 27.3 percent from the line.
Rowe said his performance was due in large part to the sub-par night he had in the Bears’ last loss, against Delaware State. He was among the Bears singled out by Giannini after that game.
“When I hear people say that sort of negative thing about me, which I deserved, which I earned, I take it to heart,” Rowe said. “It offends me. I don’t like it.”
Rowe took out his frustration on Troy State.
But in the end, it wasn’t enough.
Greene gave the Bears a 71-68 lead when he nailed a 14-footer with 1:52 to play in the extra period, but Herbert Evans hit a 3-pointer 12 second later to tie the game.
Greene missed a jumper that would have given the Bears the lead with 35 seconds to play, setting up the game-winner by Rushing.
Rushing became open when he dribbled off a ball-screen set by teammate Lamayn Wilson (23 points, nine rebounds).
Troy State coach Don Maestri said that when his team runs that play, Wilson generally gets the ball back.
“But with [Rowe], the 7-footer in there, we thought he may not jump out on Robert,” Maestri said. “What happened [was] he did jump out on him, but Robert kept going and he didn’t stay with him. It’s one of those things that looks good when it goes in.”
Greene’s contested 3-pointer to win the game fell short as time expired.
Freddy Petkus added 12 points on 4-for-16 shooting from behind the 3-point arc for Maine.
TROJANS 73, BLACK BEARS 71 (OT)
Troy State (2-1) Maine (0-5)
Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP
Wilson 9 20 4 4 23 Petkus 4 16 12
Rushing 7 15 2 5 20 Tibbetts 3 11 0 0 9
Evans 2 5 2 4 8 Greene 7 14 15
Pemberton 2 2 2 2 6 White 5 9 10
Hazouri 3 6 0 0 9 Rowe 9 14 23
Millhouse 0 0 0 0 0 Dubois 0 0 0
Lewin 0 1 0 1 0 Campbell 1 2
Pettway 1 5 0 0 3 Croom 0 0 0
Craig 2 6 0 0 4
Totals 26 60 10 16 73 Totals 29 66 71
Troy State 31 66 73
Maine 35 66 71
3-pt. goals: Troy State (11-27): Wilson 1-7, Rushing 4-7, Evans 2-4, Hazouri 3-5, Pettway 1-4; Maine (8-29): Petkus 4-16, Tibbetts 3-10, Greene 1-3
Attendance: 1,486
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